Beyond the “quota”: The importance of ethics and transparency in sales.

Hello friends! I hope you are well, today I come to talk about something that unfortunately has become extremely common which is LYING in a sale. A few years ago a colleague told me: “You first sell, then we see how we solve”, a very wrong phrase that affects a lot of people by executing an action in this way.

But on this occasion, I would like to touch on this subject from the front sidewalk, which as a customer I recently had to live, and that after more than 22 years of career in the commercial world hurt me, because it is not the first time recently that happens to me, but I am seeing that it becomes a common factor in order to “close a deal”; then later you will understand why this is extremely dangerous at all levels.

Recently my wife Jacky and I decided it was time to change the refrigerator we had for a newer one, so we went to the trusted store that we have used for years, and in which they have served us with great satisfaction.

While we were looking at a model that we liked, and that the conditions were adequate, we were approached by a young salesman, and not to make the story too long, he offered us conditions that we have rarely seen with a delivery “no later than 1 day after purchase”, which considering that we had confidence in the store we accepted.

Here is where the lies appear, because the refrigerator would arrive several days later than promised, where the seller told my wife that she should know the policies of the company, and above all that she should wait for it to arrive, that it was no longer a matter for him, because he had already sold; here the question is: Why did he tell us to know the policies, that we could not complain, when he was the one who promised us things?

One of the first problems that I detect, and that is usual in some organizations is that they put a lot of pressure for “the quota”, “the number”, whatever synonym you want, is that the organizations put so much pressure that any person, at the slightest opportunity, will try to reach the number they ask for, even if it is only by promising what they clearly know they cannot (that is why He referred us to the policies).

Something sad to see is that they are framed so much in hiring personnel quickly and without a solid sales base, that in many occasions they resort to these “retail” sales practices, when in some occasions it is necessary to know that consultative sales is necessary.

I was telling you that this was not the first time this happened to me, and for example the following:

The day we went to pick up the new vehicle at the dealership, we ran into a salesman and I asked him a very basic question: “What is the function of that knob that says SNOW and RAIN next to the gearbox?

The consultative sale is not only given in large projects, it is given in everything that we consider simple; It is not the same as saying: I do not know, ah that answer, at this time I do not have it so clear, if I may bring someone to solve your query.

Companies must take seriously, to provide their sales staff, the necessary tools so that they can perform in the best possible way, remember that one of the main axes in sales - and that I will talk about soon in this blog - is TRANSPARENCY IN NEGOTIATION. You know why: Because you never know who you have in front of you in a sale.

To close the issue of the warehouse, I was telling my wife that the problem was 50% part of the seller and 50% part of the warehouse store, but unfortunately the visible face, and the one who could have told us the truth about the conditions and what he could offer was the seller, therefore, if in the future she will meet him -and she will remember his face- she will not buy anything else from him.

Let's remember that, when we have been in the sales battalion, we are always going to expose more than just the company we work for; we expose OUR REPUTATION.

In the world of sales, each one defines which reputation he/she wants to be pursued, because we must be clear that we only have one in this life.

See you next time !